This time, the two little ones had misjudged Kakashi again.
Usually, he was either on time or simply an hour or two late, and then he could still come up with all sorts of ridiculous excuses to get by without blushing or beating his chest.
But today was different.
Although Kakashi was still late, it wasn't his usual dawdling. In fact, he was up earlier than usual.
Early in the morning, he pulled himself together and headed straight for the Hokage Building. Without hesitation, he knocked on the door of the Hokage's office on the top floor.
"Come in," an old, commanding voice called from inside.
Kakashi pushed the door open.
Morning light streamed through the windows, filling the office. The statues of the successive Hokage on Hokage Rock could be clearly seen, as could the thriving streets of Konoha Village in the distance. Behind his desk, an old man, smoking an old-fashioned pipe, looked like the kindly grandfather next door.
It was none other than the current Hokage of Konoha Village, the Third Hokage, known as the "Ninjutsu Professor," and master of all Ninjutsu techniques—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Seeing Kakashi appear, a flicker of surprise crossed Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes. He set aside the documents in his hand, looked up through the curling smoke at one of his most trusted subordinates, and asked gently, "Oh? It's Kakashi. What's up, so early?"
Sarutobi was puzzled. Normally, Kakashi should have been leading Team 7 on a basic mission today. He should have been with his three young disciples, so why had he suddenly come to him?
Kakashi didn't exchange pleasantries. His expression was stern, even solemn. He walked over to his desk and said solemnly, "Third Hokage-sama, excuse me for interrupting you. I've encountered something... strange and inexplicable, and I must report it to you immediately."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, observing Kakashi's unprecedented solemnity, felt a chill in his heart.
He knew Kakashi's character. Normally, this guy might seem lazy and unfocused, but in reality, he's incredibly meticulous and observant. He wouldn't lose his composure like this for no apparent reason. Anything Kakashi could describe as "weird" must be quite serious.
"Sit down and tell me slowly, Kakashi."
Sarutobi Hiruzen gestured for the chair in front of his desk, setting his pipe aside and looking more focused. "What exactly happened? Don't rush. Tell me slowly."
"Yes,"
Kakashi did as he was told. After a moment's thought, he gathered his words and finally reported to the Third Hokage the bizarre events of the past two nights.
"...This is what happened."
Kakashi said in a low and solemn voice: "Since late last night, my two students Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura and I, after falling asleep every night, our consciousness will be forced into a dim space like a cinema. In that space, we can't move, nor can we use most ninjutsu. We can only watch like spectators the dream of Uzumaki Naruto played on the huge screen in front of us."
"Watch... Naruto's dream?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned suddenly when he heard this, his eyes full of disbelief, "How could such a thing happen?"
"Yes." Kakashi nodded solemnly, "Moreover, the content of the dreams the three of us saw were exactly the same. Afterwards, Sasuke, Sakura and I carefully checked and proved that this was not our own hallucinations, but a real experience shared by many people. But the strange thing is that Naruto himself was unaware of it. After waking up, he only remembered that he had some... uh, dreams that were more in line with his personality."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent. He took a deep drag from his pipe, his brow furrowing even more as he struggled to digest this incredible information.
Forcefully pulling multiple consciousnesses into a shared space... broadcasting the dreams of a specific person... and without the person being aware...
This... seemed like pure fantasy!
But the person who spoke these words was Kakashi. The gifted, calm, rational, and accomplished Hatake Kakashi, who held his trust from a young age. Sarutobi Hiruzen knew Kakashi well; he would never make up stories, let alone joke about his students or their missions.
Therefore, everything Kakashi said was true.
"What exactly was the content of the dream?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, his expression grave.
His greatest concern was whether the mastermind had used the dream to do something to Naruto, or perhaps to uncover the secrets of the Nine-Tails.
Kakashi stiffened slightly at this. Here it was, the crucial question. The images from last night's dream flashed through his mind uncontrollably. Kushina-senpai's gentle smile, Minato-sensei's warm gaze, that home so warm it seemed unreal... and the unprecedented, tearful expression on Naruto's face... and Sakura's innocent, childish comment...
Kakashi's throat moved, his heart agitated.
"What should I say? Should I tell the Third Hokage directly that we saw the Fourth Hokage and his wife appear alive in Naruto's dream? That we saw that long-forgotten home? That we saw Minato-sensei personally teaching Naruto the Rasengan?"
After weighing the pros and cons, Kakashi took a deep breath, raised his head to meet Sarutobi Hiruzen's sharp gaze, and spoke as calmly as possible, omitting the most sensitive part:
"The content of the dream... was quite bizarre. Naruto imagined that he defeated Sasuke, became the strongest in Team 7, was confessed to by Sakura, and was deeply loved by the villagers... In short, these were all... some absurd and ridiculous dreams that suited his age."
Kakashi paused, then added: "Although the content of the dream seems harmless, even a little funny, the ability to forcibly pull other people's consciousness into a shared dream space is itself extremely strange and dangerous. Moreover, the other party's target is obviously Naruto! I'm worried..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen listened quietly, without interrupting. He noticed a fleeting flicker and hesitation in Kakashi's eyes as he described his dream. Knowing Kakashi well, he knew there was something hidden.
However, he didn't expose it outright.
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe again and took two light puffs. His eyes narrowed in the wisps of smoke, a fleeting glint of brilliance in his sharp gaze. After a pause, Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "This phenomenon... even your Sharingan can't detect any clues?"
Kakashi shook his head and replied firmly, "Yes. From the moment I entered that dimension, I've been observing with my Sharingan active. But neither the surroundings nor the images on the screen show any trace of chakra flow, nor any signs of illusion. I tried using substitution techniques and instantaneous body movements, but both failed. It seems... that dimension itself has some special rules that block our abilities."
He continued, "After completing our mission last night, I went to the ANBU archives and searched through all records of illusions, spiritual mysteries, space-time barriers, and even forbidden techniques involving dreams and spirits... but I found nothing. No known technique can explain the situation we're encountering."
"So... I have no choice but to consult the 'Ninjutsu Professor,' Hokage-sama."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell deeper into thought. He held his pipe in his mouth, his brow furrowed, and his cloudy eyes shone with deep thought. The phenomenon Kakashi described truly surpassed his comprehension.
Forcefully pulling multiple consciousnesses into a shared dream space... replaying the dreams of specific individuals... an ability that even the Sharingan couldn't penetrate...
Such an ability...
He had exhausted all his knowledge, rummaged through every record of ninjutsu, forbidden techniques, and even ancient legends... yet he had never heard of it.
"Could it be... some unprecedented bloodline limit? Or... a spiritual secret technique even stranger than Genjutsu? Or... some lost power connected to the Six Paths Sage era?"
One hypothesis after another flashed through Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind, only to be rejected one by one. Even this "Ninjutsu Professor" felt helpless at this moment.
After a long moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly spoke, his voice solemn, "...It's truly bizarre. I've never heard of such a technique in my life." He took a deep drag on his cigarette, exhaling a thick, heavy cloud. His gaze suddenly sharpened. "So, what about Naruto? From what you've said, he seems completely oblivious to this. Has he shown any abnormalities these past two days? Like mental lethargy? Chakra disorder? Or... has the content of his dreams affected his mood and behavior?"
This was his primary concern. Whatever the mysterious being's motives, as long as Naruto himself was safe, there was still room for improvement.
Kakashi immediately replied, "No. Naruto is fine!"
He paused, then added, "Except... perhaps because of the wonderful dream, his emotions have been a little more agitated these past two days. There's nothing unusual. His chakra is stable, and his mental state is good."
This, too, puzzled Kakashi. What exactly did that mysterious being want?
"I see..." Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows relaxed slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Naruto is safe, that's all.
He fell into deep thought again. This matter shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, and it was indeed prudent not to act rashly without first understanding the other party's background and intentions.
After a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen steeled his resolve and said firmly, "Kakashi, this matter is of grave importance. Since we haven't detected any obvious malicious intent, and the other party seems to be targeting Naruto alone... you must remain silent for now."
"You will continue to lead Team 7 on their daily missions, but you must observe Naruto's every move closely from the shadows, and see if that dream theater reappears or undergoes any new changes. Remember, wait and see, and don't alert the enemy."
"As for the investigation..." Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flashed, "Leave it to me. I will mobilize all my resources to uncover the truth behind this."
"Yes! Third Hokage-sama!" Kakashi immediately complied.
Although he hadn't gotten a clear answer from the Third Hokage, having the Hokage personally involved in the investigation was far better than just guessing on his own.
He stood up, preparing to leave.
However, just as he reached the door and his hand was about to touch the doorknob—
"Wait, Kakashi."
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly called out to him. Kakashi stopped and turned around.
He saw that Sarutobi Hiruzen had stood up and walked to the window, his back to him, staring at the huge statue of the Fourth Hokage on Hokage Rock outside the window. His back looked a bit bleak and solemn.
Sarutobi slowly flicked the ashes from his pipe, then turned around, narrowed his eyes, and warned in a serious face:
"Kakashi, what I just said, 'Don't tell anyone,' was not a suggestion, but an order! Remember, this matter must not be known to anyone other than you and me! Especially...about those unsettling 'images' you saw in your dreams!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't know what Kakashi was hiding, but he felt that was the crux of the problem.
"Upon return, immediately issue a gag order to Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Tell them to completely forget what happened these past two nights! Don't tell anyone about it, not a single word!"
"Konoha Village... may appear peaceful now, but undercurrents are surging. If someone with ulterior motives learns of this, they might exploit it and take actions detrimental to Naruto and the village!"
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